Tractor wheel



1 Oct.- 28, 1930. J, w, TATTER 1,779,994

TRACTOR WHEEL .Filed Sept- 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l am enw J07??? 75.2767 M'MZ/% Oct. 28,1930. J. w. TATTER 1,179,994

TRACTOR WHEEL- Filed Sept. 5 192 2 ShO IiS-SMG'E 2 @77763565/ frzve 72267 J71? W a m Patented Oct. 28, .1930

PATENT-OF E i V JO N 'rnrrtrnn, on cnionq innmors Tucs n WHEEL plication and; September 3, 1926." Serial ms. 133,428.

My invention relatesto tractor'whe'els and has among its other obj'eots the production ofdevicesof the'kind 'describedwhich are convenient, durable and satisfactory for'use 1' 5 wherever found applicable.

' Aparticular object 'of the invention is providean improved tractor wheel whichi s p through a tractor wheel embodying another 7 I substantially {self-cleaning, v

IAnother particular object of the invention 'is to provide a tractor wheel which'ma'y be used upon apaved road without injury theretoand which" provided with an u s s'Pert-= edge which folds or zig zagsba'ck and forth from one side of-the wheel to theother side wheel fro -sinking;- into soft earth an undesirable distance. The folds are disposed-at substantially the same-angles to planes coin-1 cident with th'e axis of rotation of the wheel. Another form of theinvention' is embodied;

in a wheel havinga ground-engaging-edge fwhich'zig-zags back and forth from one side of the wheel to the other, alternate: folds being the apices of'*ground engaging "wedges.

$3 In this instance, the other'alternate folds lie in'planes substantially coincident with the axis ofrotationofthejwheel, the wheel being formed with ground-engaging surfaces disposed; in these planes to? obtain a maximum tractive effort.-

3 Many ether ects and advantages of the construction hereinishown and, described will be obvious' tothose skilled finthe art from- 'the' disclosure hereingiven.

To this endffny-inventionconsists the nove C nst u t o Mre g t a d .cO

nation"of, parts; herein-shown and described, and more; pointed out] in the 7145 claims. I

. ime wm i ii hr in new characters. indicate, {like or corresponding parts:

Fig.1 is aside gijmibnroi a. tractor wheel 4& z'embedyingithefinventiomis r r improved One form of he JIIVQIlfiOll is' einbodiedin aspokelessjwheel hayinga ground-engaging Fig. 2 is an wheel; 7 Fig. 3 is a section taken online 33 of Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section taken on 1 line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 51is a transversecentralsection taken form of the invention;

Fig. 6 is a side elevationofa tractor wheel embodying still another form of the invention; 1 r Fig. 7 is an endel'evationof the improved wheel shown in Fig." 6;

Fig. 8 isa sectionjt'aken on line *88 of I i a Fig. 9 is a fragmentarysection taken on line 99- o f Fig.7 and "Fig.10 is a fragmentary sectiontaken on line 10- 10 of Fig. 7.: I p 'Referring for the present tofFigsl 1 to 4,

end elevation of the improved inclusive, Whereinl have shown a tractor wheel embodying a preferred form of the invention, it will-be noted that-the wheel is formed frorntwo sideplates 10 and 11, which are preferably manufactured from pressed steel or the equivalent and are welded to each other, as indicatedatlQ, at the'p'e'riphery of the wheel. 1 It will also'benoted that the side plates 10 andll are so'formed that they provide a ground-engagingedge 1-5 which folds or zig-zags. back and forth fromone side of the wheel to the; other, the ground-en: gaging edge 15 being preferably of sufficient width so that it may support a load upon a paved road without-injury to the pavement.

In thisinstance, the several'folds in the edge a 15are'disposed at equal angles to planes co incident with the-axis of rotation of] the wheel, and asbest'shown in Fig.4, each fold forms the apex of a Wedge which extends from the outer edge ofitheiwheel to'af'point intermediate the edge and the axis of rota- .tion, These wedges are formed in theQside plates lOand llfand as best shown in Figs. 1 andl3, theside plates 10 and 11 areiprefer ablyimperforate between theouter edges thereof and hub portions thereof hereinafterdescribed. The outer surfaces ofthe side iplate'slO and u ne-preferably concave or 2 p i I 1,779,994

dished, this construction being particularly advantageous in the side plate 10 as it negatives the necessity of having the end of the axle projecting beyond the wheel. The side plate 10 is preferably provided with an axle-receiving aperture 17 and the side plate 11 is preferably formed with an integral hub 18 having an axle-receiving aperture 19 aligned with the aperture 17. v

The improved wheel shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, is substantially self-cleaning in that when the wheel is in use earth is continuously packed into the V-shaped depressions or notches 19 formed bythe aforementioned wedges andthis earth is continuously forced out and continuously scours the surfaces of the wedges or the notches 19. I am 'awaregthat -wheels have been formed from single plates which have had zig-zag' folds provided therein and I am also aware that tractor wheels having zig-zag bars or the equivalent formed in the tread havealso been employed.v My improved construction differs from these devices in that each wheel is formed from'a plurality of side plates so that the wheel. will be of sufficient width to prevent it from sinking any considerable distance into soft earth. It is obvious that the wheel may be made of any desired width to conform to its weight and to the use to which it is to be put. Another advantage of my improved construction is that the side plates 10 and 11 obviate the necessity of providing spokes, which'usually become clogged with mud when the wheel of which they form a part is in use. I I

In Fig. I have shown another form of the invention embodied in a wheel which is preferably formed in a single casting or molding operation, the wheel being preferably formed with integral side plates21 and 22 which correspond to the aforementioned side plates and 11. The side plates 21 and 22 form a zig-zag edge 23 substantially identical to the aforementioned zig-zag edge and thefolds of the zigzag edge 23 form identical to the aforementioned wedges shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive. The wheel shown in Fig. 5 is substantially identical to the wheel shown in Figs. l to 4,-inclusive,

, with the exception that it is manufactured in a casting operation and. is not formed from pressed steel or the equivalent.

Referrin nowfto Figs. 6 to 10, inclusive,

.whereinIf avefshown. a tractor wheel embodying another form of the invention, it will be noted that the wheel is provided with a ground-engaging edge 30, which folds or zig-zags backand forth from one side of the wheel to thesother. The alternate folds in- (heated by the reference character 31 form angles withlplanespas'sing through the axis of rotation of the wheel and the alternate folds 32 disposed intermediate the folds 31 a maximum tractive effort.

being formed to are disposed in planes passing through the axis of rotation of the wheel. Each of the outer edges of the folds 31 forms the apex of a wedge 34, as best illustrated in Figs. 7 and 9 and each of the folds 32 of the edge 30 forms the outer edge of a blade35, as best illustrated in Figs. 7 and 10. The folds 32 provide driving surfaces 37 lying in planes passing through the axis of rotation of the wheel, the drivin faces 37 being so disposed with respect to a' jacent wedges 34 that earth packing into the wheel will scour the faces 37. The wheel shown in Figs. 6 to 10, inclusive, is formed from a single casting, but it is obvious from the foregoing description of thewheel shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, that the wheelshown in Figspfi to 10, inelusive, could be made from a pair of pressed steel plates. 7 I

While my improved tractor wheel is preferably formed with imperforate side p ates, in some instances I may prefertoreplace relatively small sections of the side lates with Spokes, a single .disc, or the equiva ent. This, of course, depends upon the use to which the tractor is to be put. c I

It is readily'understood that the wedges serve ascleats and that they serve simultaneouslyas driving and'sup'porting surfaces.

sinks intothe round, .both the driving and supporting surfaces increase in area in proportion to the softness of the ground and the effective diameter of the wheel decreases in proportion tothe softness of the ground. This is equivalentto changingthe gear ratio between the engine and the wheel and insures Having thus described my invention it is obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention;

, hence I do'not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the'exact form, construction, arrangement and combination ofparts herein shown and described or uses mentioned. the apices of wedges Which are substantially 'by Letters Patent is:

What I claim a's'new and desire to secure 1. A tractor wheel having apassage therethrough for an axle and having side plates extending substantially from saidpassage to the periphery of the wheel said side plates the periphery of the wheel, said side plates being formed to provide driving surfaces ing in the axis of rotation of the wheel and rovide ground engaging wedges between'saill driving surfaces.

3. A tractor wheel comprising a ground When a :wheel embodying the invention disposed in planes parallel to and intersectengaging rim having side edges disposed entirely in two parallel planes, the ground engaging surface of said wheel being formed to provide a plurality of wedges each having an apex extending entirely across the maximum width of'the wheel and arranged to provide a zig-zag tread upon which the wheel travels over hard roads.

4. A hollow tractor Wheel comprising 7 spaced side walls, portions formed integral with said walls and providing a rim having side edges disposed entirely in'two parallel planes, said rim being formed with a vplurality of wedges each having an apex extending entirely across the maximum width of the wheel and forming a continuous zig-zag tread upon which the wheel travels over hard roads. V v

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name. v

JOHN TATTER. 

